Pelé has become the biggest topic of conversation at the Qatar Games.
One of the most spectacular buildings on the Doha city skyline is the futuristic The Torch Hotel.
Built right in the heart of the Qatar Sports Academy and next door to the Khalifa Stadium, the magnificent torch-shaped hotel sparkles brightly at night. It sends colorful messages to the guests of the World Cup through its huge window area.
On Sunday, its message was simple: the hotel’s light board asked people to pray to the brass icon Pelé on behalf of.
82 years old Edson Arantes do Nascimento better known around the world by his stage name. He is the only player in football history who won the world championship three times.
Pelé is currently being treated in a São Paulo hospital. PDO
At the World Cup in Qatar, Pelé no longer has a direct influence on the events on the field, but off them he has taken complete control of the media space. The reason is clear: brass magazines reported that his condition had deteriorated.
According to them, chemotherapy would not have cured King’s colon cancer as hoped.
It was soon reported that only treatment options would be re-evaluated at the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo. According to official sources, Pelé’s condition is stable and he would still receive antibiotic treatment.
The daughter of a football hero Flavia Nascimento denies information about palliative care. According to the daughter, Pelé is not about to die.
– It is quite unfair that people say he is in the terminal stage and in palliative care. Believe us: it’s not about that, the daughter commented in an interview with Globo TV.
In any case, it is already clear that Pelé’s health is one of the big stories of the World Cup in Qatar.
Greetings from fans
Brazil’s fans sent their greetings to the champions of 1958, 1962 and 1970 already in the Cameroon game that ended the initial group stage.
Today, in the quarter-final against South Korea, there will be many more of them. The sixth world championship is now expected from the Brazilian team even more, because everyone wants Pelé to get even more positive energy.
– Dear friends, I want everyone to be at peace and happy. I am strong and full of hope. I follow my treatment normally, Pelé himself wrote on his Instagram.
The story continues after the picture
The Torch hotel paid tribute to Pelé during the night in Doha. PDO
The football legend is the common hero of the entire footballing world. England’s captain has been worried about his condition in Qatar Harry Kane like France’s number one gun Kylian Mbappé.
– He is an inspiring character, an incredible footballer and a person. We wish him all the best, Kane said.
O Rei scored more than 1,200 goals in his career, but his club career never reached the level of national team success. Pelé moved to the sidelines for good after three seasons with the New York Cosmos in 1977.
– I believe in God, and every message from you gives me more energy. And of course also watching Brazil in the World Cup, he added.
An easy diagram
Brazil’s players are trying to focus on Monday’s match against South Korea. PDO
After that message, the pressure in the Canaries’ booth multiplied. Every brass player now wants to conquer the world championship for Pelé.
The feeling is also shared by the 61-year-old head coach Tite.
– He is the only person I started shaking when I got to know him. It was 2018 when I was suddenly told that there is Pelé, Tite recalled in Qatar.
– When I got up, my whole body was shaking and my palms were sweaty. My heart was beating faster all the time. I realized that I have the opportunity to thank him on behalf of my entire generation.
On Monday, Tite will try to focus on knocking off South Korea. Brazil’s route seems quite easy, because hardly anyone believes that the Asian team will be able to put the balls in the cart on Monday at Doha’s Konttistadion.
The teams met in a friendly match in June, when Brazil ran to an easy 5-1 crushing victory. Now the head coach of the Koreans Paulo Bento will certainly choose a more defensively winning tactic.
– It is an aggressive and strong team. We can’t afford to make mistakes, yellow shirt striker Richarlison warned.
In the semifinals, either Japan or Croatia, which performed poorly, would face each other. You could already wait for the World Cup semi-final Leo Messi’s starred Argentina.